Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Philip · 17th February 2017, 07:23 AM

I'm not aware of any systematic attempt to study lance heads from the era, of course that's not to rule out the existence of such effort which has escaped my notice! Seems to me that on specimens without visible markings, or lacking firm provenance, classification may be difficult because these utilitarian and generic-looking things can resemble each other so closely across national and cultural boundaries.

Interesting to read your comment about the role of the lance in the military history of Spanish America. Reminds me of what I've learned about the hunting of wild boar with spears in Continental Europe. In most countries where it was practiced (to this day, in some areas), it was done on foot but in Spain, the favored method was/is from horseback with a lance. Also, Azorean bull handlers are adept at managing the bovines with long staffs with metal ferrules at the end, resembling the pikes of Renaissance armies except that they have no sharp points -- you see these guys in action when bulls are "run" through the streets during festas, or to prompt them to exit the arena alive since killing the animals in bullfights was banned in Portugal centuries ago.

17th February 2017, 07:23 AM	#6
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	I'm not aware of any systematic attempt to study lance heads from the era, of course that's not to rule out the existence of such effort which has escaped my notice! Seems to me that on specimens without visible markings, or lacking firm provenance, classification may be difficult because these utilitarian and generic-looking things can resemble each other so closely across national and cultural boundaries. Interesting to read your comment about the role of the lance in the military history of Spanish America. Reminds me of what I've learned about the hunting of wild boar with spears in Continental Europe. In most countries where it was practiced (to this day, in some areas), it was done on foot but in Spain, the favored method was/is from horseback with a lance. Also, Azorean bull handlers are adept at managing the bovines with long staffs with metal ferrules at the end, resembling the pikes of Renaissance armies except that they have no sharp points -- you see these guys in action when bulls are "run" through the streets during festas, or to prompt them to exit the arena alive since killing the animals in bullfights was banned in Portugal centuries ago.